Basil Fawlty Moment

[Retro Pug 0 1 Cars]

Well took my wifes 306 Cabriolet back for a retest failed on wishbones and headlamp being damaged. Took ECP 3 times to get the wishbone right and twice for the headlamp and indicators!

 

I arrived at the test station this morning and noticed I'd left a trail of the black stuff behind me...

 

The guys at the garage said the crankshaft seal had gone and it would take £300 - £400 of my money to cure it. Its the 2.0 8v lump, does anyone know how much of a job this is? As the car is not used every day I'll try and tackle it myself, does the motor need to come out?

 

Cheers

John.

[Anthony 1,003]

Gearbox, clutch, and flywheel off, and then you can get at the seal. Not too difficult, just time consuming and a bit of a pain removing and refitting the 'box

[taylorspug 7]

Which crank end seal are we talking about?

[Retro Pug 0 1 Cars]

Which crank end seal are we talking about?

 

Its actually the one on the lefthand side of the motor as you look at it, the timing belt side. Both belts are lovely and oily!

[pugdamo 111 2 Cars]

Its actually the one on the lefthand side of the motor as you look at it, the timing belt side. Both belts are lovely and oily!

 

Makes it alot less time being that side,if you remove the belts,and the lower sprocket,just a matter of getting the old seal out and tapping the new one in,they normally come on a little plastic cone slide that over the end of the crank and tap it in,new belts back on and lovely jubbly.

Nice easy belt to do aswell,you will have it up and running in no time.

[Retro Pug 0 1 Cars]

Makes it alot less time being that side,if you remove the belts,and the lower sprocket,just a matter of getting the old seal out and tapping the new one in,they normally come on a little plastic cone slide that over the end of the crank and tap it in,new belts back on and lovely jubbly.

Nice easy belt to do aswell,you will have it up and running in no time.

 

Thanks

 

Are there any special tools for the tensioning of cam belt or is the old twist method ok?

Edited May 26, 2009 by Retro Pug

[Retro Pug 0 1 Cars]

Just thought I'd update this....

 

Fitted oil seal and new belts no problems, thought all was well and drove my sister in law home in the 306 about 3 miles.....

 

Just as I'm getting to her house the engine stalled and would not restart! I called the RAC out who had to tow me home, the guy was really good and suspects the head gasket has gone! So I've just got home at 12:15.

 

I want to start my GTI6 conversion on the 205 tomorrow and wanted yo use the 306 as a run about but there you go....

 

Anyway the GTI6 project is going ahead and I just do not have the time to sort this new problem out. Does anyone have an idea of cost for getting this done by a garage or does anyone local fancy a bit of a hobble?

 

Thanks is desperation and dispare

John.

[dcc 855]

well considering you have changed the timing belt, i would think you are 1/2 way there to being able to do the head gasket!

 

whip the exhaust off (at the flange), whip the inlet off if you arent comfortable with it being left on, 10 head bolts, a few mins with some coarse sand paper and an hour or so with some fine sand paper. new headbolts and gasket. job done. (made to sound alot eaier than it is! but you really arent all too far away from being bale to do it!)

[Anthony 1,003]

Fitted oil seal and new belts no problems, thought all was well and drove my sister in law home in the 306 about 3 miles.....

 

Just as I'm getting to her house the engine stalled and would not restart! I called the RAC out who had to tow me home, the guy was really good and suspects the head gasket has gone! So I've just got home at 12:15.

Without sounding like I'm doubting the guys diagnosis, but are you sure it's the headgasket? Unless it was running like a bag of spanners before hand, I doubt that the headgasket suddenly failed badly enough for the engine to stall and not restart personally.

 

Usual checks of fuel, spark and compression would be the best place to start, and checking the cambelt hasn't jumped some teeth seeing as you've only just replaced that and thus seems likely that it'll be something related to that if it happened after just 3 miles...

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

Was just about to type a reply, but basically as Anthony says!

[Hilgie 16 2 Cars]

It is more likely that the timing belt has slipped a few teeth, so you have no compression. I hardly believe that the headgasket has gone within 3 miles. Just re-check the timingbelt!!!

[kyepan 291]

agreed, put the timing pegs back in and see if it lines up properly.

 

It might just be a case of reseting the belt and making sure it's properly tensioned.

[powermandan 0]

When i did my cambelt the first time, i got it one tooth out and the engine refused to star

[Retro Pug 0 1 Cars]

Thanks all for comments.

 

Yeah could be the belt I'll check that first I think. It's going to have to wait for a bit as I really want the 205 on the road as quickly as possible!! Its just annoying that we've now got the weather and its stuck on the drive!

 

I'll report back with any findings....

 

Cheers

John.